May 20, 2009
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Who wins, Moses or
don Miguel Ruiz?
“The Ten Commandments”
versus
“The Four Agreements”
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If you eliminate God-worship, Moses' Commandments are reduced to rules for living within your community – and it wouldn't take a trip up a mountain to acquire them. They had been around for at least 20 million years before Moses made his climb.
Also, penalties for not following this guide were here on earth. Our earliest caveman knew better than not to break these rules or he would suffer consequences – unless he was bigger and stronger than his cavemates in which case he could do as he pleased until he got old and weak, or other guys ganged up on him.
In you didn't honour your father and mother, they threw you out of their cave, or, as in ancient times, they killed you. Also, cavemen parents knew that they had no responsibility after their "kids grew up!"
If you stole, murdered or screwed around, your cavemates decided how you should be punished. And if you got obsessed with neighbour's stuff instead of getting your own, forget it. That neighbour got angry if you actually tried to take his stuff or his cavemate .
Few realize today that when those commandments referred to actual neighbours – they didn't mean another village or country. Raping, murdering, pillaging and acquiring stuff was okay – as long as your victims were “other guys”.
It is still okay today. Religious groups, including Christians, have a terrible track record living up to His Commandments. (Maybe they don't really believe in God so it doesn't matter anyway!)
The Four Agreements are different
Don Miguel Ruiz revealed The Four Agreements in his book by that name. It topped New York Times' Best Selling List for more than two years. While not coming close to Bible sales, it introduced a code of conduct for personal freedom, true happiness and harmoniously living with others.
They were simple because they established realistic rules for an individual. If more individuals follow his rules, sanity and justice will emerge.
His first agreement is “Be impeccable with your word!” In other words, don't lie. I know of many people who, after fifteen years, are still struggling with this one. If you apply this one, most of our societal problems will disappear. Oh yes, he also means that you have to stop lying to yourself.
His second agreement, “Don't take anything personally!” is, in itself, a prescription that could end most of our world's conflicts. You see, if you don't take things personally, those “other guys” soon tire of trying to aggravate you and quit. (I found it really worked with my last two wives. It could have really helped me with my first two wives.)
Of course, his third agreement represents a major change for any judicial system as he states, “Don't make assumptions!” In other words, do not assume or presume guilt OR innocence. There is none of this nonsense that you are presumed innocent! You have to prove your point.
Most people do not understand his Fourth Agreement, “Always do your best!” Its more simple than most people think. He understands that you will not always be successful applying his first three agreements so always do your best with them!
That's it! A prescription to a better life!
I found his Four Agreements philosophy resonated with our atheist community. Of course, not all atheists or religious people lead lives based on Ruiz' agreements. I contend that until The Four Agreements is embraced as a code for human behaviour, there is no use venerating The Ten Commandments .
Several years ago, I conducted workshops based on The Four Agreements and know personally that they had a profound affect on most in attendance.
For us atheists who follow The Four Agreements, life is not complicated.
We also know how to live . . . without gods!
Anton Kozlik
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